New Year’s resolution: Resolve to be safer in 2013 (Photos)

by root shed

The Philadelphia Police Department reported that 9,238 homes were burglarized in 2012. The number was probably much larger than that because 50% of burglaries often go unreported. Although 9,000 burglaries in a city with over 1 million residents may not seem like a lot, when it’s your home that gets burglarized it really doesn’t matter, does it?

So is there really anyway you can increase your chances of not being a victim of burglary? Of course there is.

The first thing you have to know is who the potential predator may be. Most people think that a burglar is going to be some random person who drives through the streets casing houses. That may be true in the burbs and in movies on Lifetime, but this is Philadelphia.

The person who may break into your house will most likely be a male, around 18-34 years of age. It’s probably going to be someone you know or who knows you from your circle of friends, family or neighborhood.

The second thing that you have to know is where you’re most vulnerable because that point of vulnerability is where the person will be able to get access to your home. Most houses in Philadelphia have backyards that lead to an alley or driveway. It’s fine to have a fenced yard, but that’s not necessarily going to be a deterrent for someone who is intent on breaking into your home.

It’s also amazing how flimsy back doors is in this city are especially if it’s a rental property. For better security, replace the door with a steel one and add a storm door that locks. Put window locks on all windows especially the ones that are on ground level. If you have window air conditioners, make sure they are properly installed with screws. It doesn’t take a burglar too long to push a unit, that’s been inserted without screws or other required hardware, out of the window.

The biggest security risk to your home is your mouth. People love to talk about what they have: a new large screen television, a stash of weapons, the latest game systems, and jewelry. People also like to announce when they’re going away or where they’re at especially on Facebook. The more people know about you, the bigger chance you have of being burglarized.

If you’re considering using the canine method of security, take heed. Not all dogs are good guard dogs and the point of having a dog is to scare of a would-be burglar. For this reason, small and toy breeds are not good guard dogs because they really don’t scare of anyone. The best guard dogs are the Pitbull, Rottweiler, Mastiff, Dogue de Bordeaux, Wolf Shepherd, and Boxer. These dogs are notoriously loyal to their owners and don’t really cater to strangers. Before getting any of these breeds, do your due diligence and study about them.

If these big dogs aren’t your thing and you’re perfectly happy with your Pekingese or Pug, you may want to consider a home security system. Avoid the cheap or fake systems you see in stores and catalogs because any well-seasoned burglar can spot them from a mile away.

Comcast offers an excellent home security system starting at $40 per month and you can even monitor your home while you’re out through a Smartphone or computer. The system offers you a live feed and will alert the authorities if any alarms are tripped. The system can include door and window sensors, motion sensors, glass brake sensors, and indoor or outdoor cameras. For more information about their systems, please contact Comcast at: 1-855-709-1196 or go to www.comcast.com/home-security.